What is the most common sight in a logistics center, amidst the endless motion of conveyor belts and the busy activity of forklifts? It is the "stretch film," also known as plastic wrap, which blankets the workplace more extensively and in greater quantity than the delivery boxes themselves.
Park Jeong-gu, CEO of Juyoung PNS Co., Ltd.
This transparent film, which wraps cargo stacked on pallets to prevent shifting, is an essential packaging material that supports modern logistics. Yet, paradoxically, it has become a primary culprit of environmental pollution, making our ecosystem increasingly opaque.
The amount of stretch film waste generated in the domestic logistics and transportation industry is truly staggering. According to statistics, the annual volume of polyethylene (PE) waste collected in the domestic market reaches approximately 800,000 tons, a significant portion of which consists of stretch film used in logistics sites.
Globally, the use of stretch film in logistics has surpassed the level of simple consumables. As of 2023, the global consumption of stretch film stands at 6.1 million tons, with approximately 4.5 million tons used in the logistics and transportation sector alone.
The problem lies in the fact that most of these films are single-use. As soon as cargo arrives at a logistics center, the film is sliced off with a single stroke of a utility knife. Once stretched, the film loses its elasticity, rendering it impossible to reuse.
Even more serious is the low recycling rate. Of the domestic PE waste, only about 300,000 tons are repurposed as recycled resin. Based on standards in advanced countries like those in Europe (excluding energy recovery), the actual recycling rate drops to the 20% range. In the case of recycled products, approximately 1.4 tons of carbon dioxide are emitted during the production of 1 ton, creating yet another form of environmental pollution.
Europe has already initiated a systemic shift. Starting in 2025, the European Union (EU) will enforce the "Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR)," defining packaging material as "something that must be reduced at the source." Beyond simply increasing recycling rates, it has made the expansion of reusable packaging systems and the suppression of excessive packaging a legal obligation. Consequently, European logistics and distribution companies are rapidly transitioning to multi-use and reusable packaging.
@Getty Images
Fortunately, technological alternatives are already being presented, and leading companies are moving quickly. "Reusable pallet bands" and "reusable belts" are prime examples. In fact, Samsung Electronics has introduced reusable pallet covers to its home appliance logistics sites, achieving a reduction of over 40 tons of plastic waste per year.
CJ Logistics has also built a resource circulation model that collects waste plastic and reincarnates it into recycled stretch film. Ilyang Logis, a specialized courier company, has used the eco-friendly pallet packaging material "Eco-Bundle"—developed by Juyoung PNS, which I represent—for the past two years, achieving a 97% annual average reduction in waste.
Cases of overseas companies implementing "plastic-free logistics" are also increasing. UK-based Loadhog uses a "pallet lid" method, which covers the top of the pallet with a sturdy lid and secures it with integrated belts instead of plastic wrap. It can be reused hundreds of times, significantly reducing costs. JD Logistics in China has introduced reusable boxes and belts through its "Green Stream" project, replacing plastic wrap.
The key is not technology, but "perception." Until now, the environment in the logistics field has been considered a matter of "cost." Cynical responses such as "everyone else uses wrap," or "it's cheap and convenient, so why bother?" have been dominant. However, eco-friendliness is now a matter of survival, not choice.
As of 2026, when Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) management has become a corporate report card, if logistics companies shout "Green Logistics" on the outside while pouring out plastic wrap on the inside, it is clear "greenwashing." A grand transformation is needed—from management to on-site workers—to perceive stretch film not as a simple consumable, but as a "debt to the Earth."
We must remove this transparent shackle that causes serious environmental pollution and move toward truly "clean logistics." When the triad of government institutional support and interest, bold corporate investment in eco-friendly product development, and a shift in perception across the logistics and transportation industry come together, we can be reborn as a clean logistics powerhouse free from plastic waste.
https://www.etnews.com/20260302000079
What is the most common sight in a logistics center, amidst the endless motion of conveyor belts and the busy activity of forklifts? It is the "stretch film," also known as plastic wrap, which blankets the workplace more extensively and in greater quantity than the delivery boxes themselves.
This transparent film, which wraps cargo stacked on pallets to prevent shifting, is an essential packaging material that supports modern logistics. Yet, paradoxically, it has become a primary culprit of environmental pollution, making our ecosystem increasingly opaque.
The amount of stretch film waste generated in the domestic logistics and transportation industry is truly staggering. According to statistics, the annual volume of polyethylene (PE) waste collected in the domestic market reaches approximately 800,000 tons, a significant portion of which consists of stretch film used in logistics sites.
Globally, the use of stretch film in logistics has surpassed the level of simple consumables. As of 2023, the global consumption of stretch film stands at 6.1 million tons, with approximately 4.5 million tons used in the logistics and transportation sector alone.
The problem lies in the fact that most of these films are single-use. As soon as cargo arrives at a logistics center, the film is sliced off with a single stroke of a utility knife. Once stretched, the film loses its elasticity, rendering it impossible to reuse.
Even more serious is the low recycling rate. Of the domestic PE waste, only about 300,000 tons are repurposed as recycled resin. Based on standards in advanced countries like those in Europe (excluding energy recovery), the actual recycling rate drops to the 20% range. In the case of recycled products, approximately 1.4 tons of carbon dioxide are emitted during the production of 1 ton, creating yet another form of environmental pollution.
Europe has already initiated a systemic shift. Starting in 2025, the European Union (EU) will enforce the "Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR)," defining packaging material as "something that must be reduced at the source." Beyond simply increasing recycling rates, it has made the expansion of reusable packaging systems and the suppression of excessive packaging a legal obligation. Consequently, European logistics and distribution companies are rapidly transitioning to multi-use and reusable packaging.
Fortunately, technological alternatives are already being presented, and leading companies are moving quickly. "Reusable pallet bands" and "reusable belts" are prime examples. In fact, Samsung Electronics has introduced reusable pallet covers to its home appliance logistics sites, achieving a reduction of over 40 tons of plastic waste per year.
CJ Logistics has also built a resource circulation model that collects waste plastic and reincarnates it into recycled stretch film. Ilyang Logis, a specialized courier company, has used the eco-friendly pallet packaging material "Eco-Bundle"—developed by Juyoung PNS, which I represent—for the past two years, achieving a 97% annual average reduction in waste.
Cases of overseas companies implementing "plastic-free logistics" are also increasing. UK-based Loadhog uses a "pallet lid" method, which covers the top of the pallet with a sturdy lid and secures it with integrated belts instead of plastic wrap. It can be reused hundreds of times, significantly reducing costs. JD Logistics in China has introduced reusable boxes and belts through its "Green Stream" project, replacing plastic wrap.
The key is not technology, but "perception." Until now, the environment in the logistics field has been considered a matter of "cost." Cynical responses such as "everyone else uses wrap," or "it's cheap and convenient, so why bother?" have been dominant. However, eco-friendliness is now a matter of survival, not choice.
As of 2026, when Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) management has become a corporate report card, if logistics companies shout "Green Logistics" on the outside while pouring out plastic wrap on the inside, it is clear "greenwashing." A grand transformation is needed—from management to on-site workers—to perceive stretch film not as a simple consumable, but as a "debt to the Earth."
We must remove this transparent shackle that causes serious environmental pollution and move toward truly "clean logistics." When the triad of government institutional support and interest, bold corporate investment in eco-friendly product development, and a shift in perception across the logistics and transportation industry come together, we can be reborn as a clean logistics powerhouse free from plastic waste.
https://www.etnews.com/20260302000079